Sirens
by crossandwing
Summary: Duo usually waits for Heero after missions, but this time, Duo sees a familiar figure being led away on an emergency gurney.


Sirens

Sirens

2+1, 1x2

I used to be Mr. Cool. I used to be the one that every single man on my squad, even sometimes the irritable and proud Wufei, would look to when things got so hot that we had to deviate from the plan. My childhood gave me a good head start on everyone when it came to thinking on my feet. That's why I'm so calm most of the times things go awry in our missions.

In a way, I'm kind of proud of it. After weeks between missions of no one taking me seriously, it feels good and refreshing to know a whole squad's worth of elite Preventer agents are eager and willing to hear what one Duo Maxwell has to say.

I guess it's because no matter how heated a situation we're in, I always make sure that I'm the first one in there to lead them in the fight. After all, there's no reason that family men and women should be eager to be the first to die. Long moments of hesitation make even the bravest hearts waver, so I, a single man with no close ties except for some old ghosts from the war, volunteer for the job. It seems to be the practical thing to do, right?

It's well worth it. After all the guns are fired and blood is shed, everyone has a satisfied smile on their face and the lonely, single Duo Maxwell is given pats on the back and handshakes for the rest of the week. That attention is what drives me, especially if it earns a small smile or praise from the strong and competent Heero Yuy. He's been my hero since the moment I first saw him and he became my first and only true love before the first of my bullets grazed his flesh.

You can call it "Heero" worship, if you wish. I like to.

Yup, I work my ass off all week just so he can grunt his approval over the information I've gathered piled up on his desk. I'm first in the firefights just because I know he is just as high with adrenaline as I am and would stick to my side through the battle. I would even ignore my usual artery-clogging breakfast doughnut and get the lightly-buttered toast that he prefers incase he forgot to eat breakfast. Yea…I'm that far gone. I've got it bad. So bad that I've made it a habit to stay at the office when I know he'll be coming back early from a mission, you know, just to make sure he came back in one piece.

So you can imagine what it was like for me to be waiting at the reception area as the transport ship pulled in. The door decompressed and slid open and the first few soldiers quickly hopped down onto the main floor. The others, slow due to injury, carefully make their way of the ship and toward the emergency crew prepared with quick first aid treatment. Since the transmitter on the ship was damaged during the mission, so one of the relatively healthy agents had scrambled over there earlier to inform the crew on what to expect.

Meanwhile, I am intently watching the hatch for the head agent to emerge. Of course he will take care of things on the ship first before even thinking about setting foot on the tarmac, but when he emerges, I will be here waiting.

That's when I hear the sirens.

The low, annoying whine of the siren was getting louder and I knew, for at least one person, something went horribly wrong on this mission. I sent up a silent prayer for the poor bastard. As if on cue, Wufei emerged looking tired and distressed. I'm not surprised, though, since it is a painfully guilty sensation to have had one of your guys injured that badly. He shouted orders and ran a dirty hand over his head to smooth the strands that escaped his ponytail.

Then I saw the gurney.

It was bad. The feet came out first, and the sheet that covered the agent's body was drenched in blood. The EMS crew quickly crowded around the gurney, applying gauze, oxygen, and an IV while hastily rolling it and its bloody passenger to the ambulance.

And I couldn't help but wonder who it was.

The majority of the crew had gotten off by then so curiosity had me walking toward the ship. Wufei had followed the agent half way to the ambulance, but was intercepted by Sally who locked him in an embrace so passionate, I remember being jealous for my own unrequited love. Yet as my gaze was focused on Sally and Wufei, something beyond them caught my attention so suddenly it felt as if someone had dropped a Gundam on my chest.

A head of short brown hair.

A head of short brown hair matted with blood and in the back of an ambulance.

I didn't remember falling to my knees. I didn't remember clutching my stomach with the pain and the gravity that was suddenly present with this all-too-unexpected situation. I didn't remember the tears that fell on the tarmac below me. All I remember is the sound of the siren, loud and urgent, as the ambulance sped away. I also remember the inability to move and feeling as if the entire world had crumbled below me. A storm of despair was raging inside of me and I didn't know how relieve myself from the unbelievably scary reality I found myself in at that moment.

It was the first time, since I was a child, that I froze because I truly did not know what to do. The love of my life was dead or dying, I didn't know, and I had never even told him how I felt. What should have been the joy of seeing him was all-too-quickly replaced with a rough canvas of hopelessness constricting around my lungs. For a good while, I didn't think I could breathe. Didn't want to. Didn't think I would, until a heavy hand gently touched my shoulder.

Due to our reps, the guys and I are not used to close relationships with other agents. They are usually intimidated by our past and, though they are polite enough about it, don't go out of their way to be friendly with us. So I knew who's hand it was before he even said anything, but I didn't turn around because I didn't want to see the look in Wufei's eyes. The look that would tell me that Heero, my life and love, would probably not make it. Instead, I just clutched my middle, one hand planted on the ground before me for support, and allowed my tears to silently fall.

"Duo, are you okay" A familiar voice said, and my eyes widened before my head shot around to find a very familiar pair of intense Prussian eyes. "I didn't know you two were close."

My brows furrowed together in my attempt to hold back the rest of my tears as I suddenly launched myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck and making him stumble a few steps backward. It wasn't until I felt him raise his arms to tentatively return the embrace that I began to sob.

Heero made small, cautious circles on my lower back, doing his best to comfort a friend whom he's never had to comfort before. I'm sure he was confused as hell. I could feel it radiating off of him. "It's alright, Duo." His voice sounded wonderful to my ears. "He wasn't injured that bad. He took a few bullets in the stomach and a graze to the head, but the reason he was so unresponsive a while ago was because of all the painkillers we gave him for reentry." He gave a sad little sigh, "He'll be alright with some downtime and will be on his feet as soon as Preventer doctors can get to him. You'll see him soon." The voice sounded frustrated then and the circles stopped, but he made no move to push me away.

It was now or never, Maxwell. This was the second chance many agents don't get. So I collected myself as much as I could and growled at him.

"I thought it was you, you idiot!" My attempt at anger sounded pathetic to my own ears, coming out as hurt and scared as I felt.

Heero stiffened and there was a long pause filled with nothing but my sniffling before he replied, "What?"

Of course that started my tears anew, and I cried, "I thought you were the one being taken away!"

Heero did a few more small circles asking, "So, you were upset…for me?"

I pushed his shoulders back to look him in the eye, yet his hands remained on my hips, "Don't you ever, EVER do that to me, Yuy! You will come back alive every single time! Every single time, do you hear?" I pushed away and turned as if I was going to go, wiping my tears in the process, but I felt the strong, hard fingers wrap around my wrist.

"I'm not going anywhere, Duo." And his voice was tight with emotion as he pulled me back against him, hard, and brought his arms around me tighter than anyone had held me in my lifetime.

His grip was solid, yet comforting as he nuzzled the side of my face and brought our lips together. The kiss we shared then was passionate, long, and searching. He explored me and made me his, and I staked my claim as well. When we finally broke for air, he placed his forehead against mine, our noses barely touching, his eyes closed and expression peaceful. "Do we need to go somewhere to talk about this…or…"

"Or," I answered. "I think we're beyond talking, Yuy." I caressed his cheek, guiding him into another kiss while saying, "But I would like to go somewhere…" I claimed his lips once more running my hands through his dark brown hair. Hair that was free of blood.

Heero pulled away reluctantly and nodded once. "Let me get my stuff and we'll go."

I looked at him quizzically. "Don't you have a report to give, oh fearless leader?"

Heero pulled me up against him, hard, and I gasped at the feeling of his stiff member rubbing against my own through our clothes. We both felt shy, feeling the other like this for the first time. And I believe it was the first time I saw Heero blush when he met my gaze then, answering, "The report can wait. I…I've been waiting long enough."

It was my turn to blush and I gave him a small smile. If things continued like this, we were never going to make it off the blacktop, so I draped an arm around him in a more familiar way and began to guide us toward the locker rooms.

The End


End file.
